A “small number” of tennis players are stuck in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) following a men’s tournament last week, owing to the war in the Middle East, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) said on Monday.
Russian Daniil Medvedev, who won the singles title last Saturday, is among those who have been unable to leave the city because of Iranian missile and drone strikes.
“The health, safety and well-being of our players, staff and tournament personnel is our priority,” the ATP said in a statement on social media.
Photo: AP
“We can confirm that a small number of players and team members remain in Dubai... They are being accommodated in the official tournament hotels. We are in direct communication with those affected,” it said.
Finnish player Harri Heliovaara, who won the doubles alongside British player Henry Patten, wrote on his blog on Sunday “much of the airspace in the surrounding areas is closed” in response to the Iranian strikes.
Heliovaara estimated that about 30 people in total were being housed in a hotel close to the airport. “We’re just calmly waiting for things to improve,” he added. “Of course we want to leave as soon as possible, but sometimes the best thing is just to wait.”
The players were offered a glimmer of hope when Dubai Airports announced “limited” flights would resume on Monday evening.
Emirates and low-cost carrier Flydubai said they would resume some flights Monday evening. Etihad Airways, which operates flights from Abu Dhabi, said it would resume operations on Tuesday.
“Up till now the ATP’s instructions were very clear: Stay in the hotel and wait,” said Heliovaara on his blog.
Heliovaara, who has won Wimbledon and the Australian Open doubles titles, said going by road, to either Oman or Saudi Arabia, was impractical.
Attacked on Saturday by the US and Israel, Iran has responded by launching drones and missiles at several countries in the region, including the UAE.
Despite the numerous explosions heard in Dubai, the doubles final was played on Saturday and the trophy ceremony went ahead for the singles event. The Dubai ATP 500 was the last in a series of tournaments on the men’s and women’s tours before they head to California on Wednesday for the Masters and WTA 1000 in Indian Wells.
Challenger tournaments, on the second tier of the professional circuit, are still scheduled to be held in Fujairah, on the east coast of the UAE
The ATP responded to AFP’s enquiry about the two successive Challenger tournaments by directing it to their tweet which gave no indication of their status.
The International Tennis Federation said the two World Tennis Tour tournaments, third-tier events set for March 16-28 at Fujairah, had been “postponed”.
Taiwan’s Lee Hao-yu on Friday went 0-for-3 in his MLB debut for the Detroit Tigers against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, becoming the 19th Taiwan-born player to reach the big leagues. The Tigers ultimately lost 1-0 in 10 innings, ending their six-game winning streak. The 23-year-old started at third base and batted eighth for Detroit. He was promoted from Triple-A Toledo ahead of the four-game series against the Red Sox at the latter’s home stadium, replacing injured utility player Zach McKinstry. “Being right-handed, and given our schedule, I think six of the next 12 games are going to
Matheus Cunha on Saturday fired Manchester United toward the UEFA Champions League with a 1-0 win at Chelsea, while Tottenham Hotspur remain in the relegation zone after twice blowing the lead to draw with Brighton & Hove Albion. Chelsea failed to take advantage of a United defense ravaged by injury and suspension as a fourth straight league defeat for the Blues left their Champions League hopes in ruins. United have missed out on the riches of Europe’s elite competition for the past two seasons, but are closing in on a return thanks to an upturn in fortunes under interim manager
Italian soccer is at its lowest ebb in nearly 40 years after a wholesale European exodus at club level followed the nation’s failure for the third successive time to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, and compounded a leadership and structural crisis. The exits suffered by Bologna and ACF Fiorentina on Thursday in the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League respectively meant no Italian teams are left in European competition this season. Italy’s last remaining UEFA Champions League contenders, Atalanta BC, went out in the round of 16 last month. It is the first time since the 1986-1987 campaign that Italian clubs
The Detroit Tigers’ Lee Hao-yu on Monday collected his first and second MLB hits in their 8-6 loss to the Boston Red Sox. The Tigers’ No. 6 prospect, who batted eighth, had an RBI single and a double in four at-bats at Fenway Park, raising his batting average to .182. “He was super thrilled to get his first hit,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said after the game. “There’s only one first, you know, and for him, it’s been a couple of games where he’s really been wanting to do it. I’m glad he did it here.” “Young guys settle in when they start
RSS